Scoring machine



Aug. 27, 1929. J. F. PETERS SCORINQMACHINE Filed March 6, 1,924

WW W Y A TTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

vmarten STATES PATENT OFFE'QE.

JOHN F. ?E'I'ERS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO AMERICAN CAN COM- PANY, UF NEW YORK, N. 51, .A COR-IORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

SCORING MACHINE.

Application. filed March 6, 1924. Serial No. 697,219.

This invention relates to the art of scoring metal blanks for producing key opening metal containers. 7

In the making of key opening cans, the body blanks from which the cans are made are passed between scoring rolls of various types and arrangement whereby two or more parallel weakening lines are scored, or cut into the metal of the blank.

In order to produce key opening cans that will open near 100% perfect in the hands of the consumer, it is necessary to previously score the body blanks and isolate a tearing strip by scoring weakening line in said body wherein a predetermined thickness of metal is left at the bottom of each scored line. This HSClG'tGIIHlDQd unscored metal must be uniform in thickness in each line over the entire body blank and uniform from blank to blank during long periods of operation. In other words, the scoring machine must be of such a rigid construction that no flexure of the frame parts carrying the scoring rolls will take place during operation, and the scoring rolls must be so aligned and mounted that they may be maintained in perfect alignment and operative adjustment.

In all scoring machines known to me, prior to my invention herein disclosed, the above.

conditions have not been attained. The frame work carrying the operative elements of the machine has not been of a design of structure to best resist fiexure and the scoring rolls have invariably been mounted on shafts and secured thereto in such a manner that it has been impossible to have them rotate perfectly true and to be so rigidly supported as to maintain their operative adjustment in operation.

To make it perfectly clear just what a very little fiexure and inaccuracy in mounting and structure will produce, it might be mentioned that the total thickness of a can body blank is only about ten one-thousandths of an inch and the metal wanted at the bottoms of the score lines we will say is to be four one-thousandths of an inch. This requires the scoring rolls to cut into the metal blank six one-thousandths of an inch. In using the term cutting it is to be understood that it may be otherwise described as an indentation and displacement of the metal for sufficient depth. The score lines on the scoring roll are in profile, with slightly flattened contour when the sheet of tin is passed between the scoring rolls, these profile score lines are squeezed into the metal blank and caused to displace the metal to the extent of six one-thousandths of an inch deep and in a lateral direction equalto the thickness of the score lines, and at the same time compress the metal of the blank directly under the score lines to a thickness of four onethousandths of an inch. T'wo rolls are usually used for scoring, one with a profile perimeter carrying the score lines, and the other a smooth perimeter to act as abutment for the profile roll. They are adjustably mounted so any required clearance may be obtained to get any desired thickness of metal at the bottoms of the scored lines. It requires quite a rigid structure to successfully withstand the pressure necessary to produce a set of scored lines as above outlined, and not flex during the operation and it requires an entirely new method of mounting and driving the scoring rolls to hold them against fiexure during the scoring operation. A difference or variation of only a few thousandths of an inch in the compressed metal at the bottom of the scored lines is sufficient to completely nullify the certainty of the tearing strip following the scored lines when the can is being opened by the consumer. While if the scored lines are uniform as to the predetermined thickness of metal at the bottom of the scored line, the strip will always tear along the line.

t will not do, as has been the practice in the past owing to an incapable structure, to set the scoring rolls closer than is required and figure on the spring and fiexure of the frame and roll shafts to permit them to open sufliciently to give the'required thickness at the bottoms of the scored lines.

This method, which is now prevalent, is

defective because there is no way of knowing just how much the frame work and roll mountings will flex, so that it is impossible to accurately determine the setting that will give, say, four one-thousandths of an inch of compressed metal at the bottom of the scored lines.

It is also defective because it is impossible to get anything like uniform results throughout even a single blank, owing to the difference in thickness and temper of the metal constituting the body blank. While it is attempted to get a uniform temper and thickness in the sheets of tin plate in the plate mill, it is impossible to preventhard and soft and thick and thin spots, that are entirely negligible for ordinary purposes of can manufacture, but which completely defy uniform results when it is attempted to pro duce a properly scored blank for a tearing strip opening can under ordinary conditions. The scoring rolls, in the ordinary machine, as above referred to, are practically under spring tension, the spring being the fleXure of the frame work and roll shafts and the amount of tension or flexure is controlled entirely by the hard and soft parts in the blanks. A hard spot or blank will have a greater thickness of compressed metal at the bottom of the scored lines than a soft spot or a soft blank, the flexure of the machine parts causing the scoring rolls to follow the inequalities of the hard and soft spots and always produce these inequalities, and this is the reason many tearing strips fail to follow the scored lines but run off to a point and come away from the can before it is completely opened.

In my improved scoring machine, the frame work is so proportioned and designed, and the mounting and driving of the scorin rolls so placed that flexure during the scoring operation is negligible.

If I determine a thickness of four onethousandths of an inch is wanted at the bottom of the scored lines, I can separate my scoring rolls a fixed amount, readily determinedby an ordinary thickness gauge and feel confident that the metal at the bottoms of the scored lines will be practically uniform through hard and soft sheets or spots, the machine being rigid enough to displace and compress the metal in a uniform manner during continued operation. Thus, in the z:- ample supposed where the unscored metal is to remain four one-thousandths in thickness, the extremities of all of the scoring elements will always be maintained substantially four thousandths of an inch from the surface of the opposing abutment roll. There has heretofore been another fatal defect and that is the ordinary manner of mounting and driving the scoring rolls.

Rolls that are mounted on the ends of the drive shafts seldom run true, owing to the fact that the rolls are bored large enough to slip on the end of the shaft and are usually held by a set screw, but even if keyed to the shaft, they are thrown out of line when so placed.

The shafts are seldom exactly straight or round so that there is a perceptible wobble; it may be only a few thousandths, of an inch, but fully enough to completely ruin the production of uniform scores. scored under such conditions will have a varying thickness of compressed metal at the bottom of the scored lines.

Every blank A roll shaft extending out of a bearing with a scoring roll on the end will surely flex under the pressure of scoring and produce just the spring action I have referred to.

In my improved manner of mounting and driving the scoring rolls, all flexure and spring is eliminated and. I am able to mount the rolls so they run practically true and will maintain this condition over long periods. Where they do wear and need retruing, the operation may be accomplished in a very precise manner and uniform results always secured.

My method of driving the scoring rolls is also of special importance.

Where power is transmitted to the scoring rolls througa an integral shaft system, it is many times found impossible to get or keep the rolls running true and when I say true,

I mean within a small fraction of onethousandths of an inch.

This trouble is more or loss due to inaccuracies and difficulties in ordinary machine shop operations. Shafts of only moderate length are quite difiicult to produce straight and round Within such limits as will produce the accuracy of operation required by an ef ficient scoring machine.

These shafts must be, or usually are, supported in a cast frame, and it iswell known that cast frames change their shape many months after they leave the foundry and are worked up into machine construction, so that a scoring machine made under the ordinary conditions of machine manufacture and havintegral scoring roll shafts supported in suitable bearings may be sufficiently accurate when it leaves its place of production and be badly inaccurate when it reaches its place of destination.

The frame work being subjected to shocks of transportation and handling, as well as at times the extremes of temperature, has the effect of relieving inherent internal strains in the cast metal, causing it to change shape slightly and thereby interfere with the perfect alignment and precision of workmanship applied when the machine was constructed.

Such changes will invariably cause pre viously perfectly running shafts to run very much out of true and there is no possible way of correcting such inaccuracies, except through re-machining of the parts, and since the can factory, where the scoring machine is to operate, have no facilities for such ac curate work, the machine is put in operation and fails from the very beginning to produce uniform and accurate work.

My improved method of mounting and driving the scoring rolls, which will be fully described in detail further on, is such that the scoring roll shafts are very short and have bearings right up to the point of greatest strain and they are driven through a loose coupling in such a manner that any inaccuracies of the driving elements, due to frame changes or tortional strains, will not and can not be transmitted to the scoring rolls.

An object of my invention, therefore, resides in producing a scoring machine having scoring rolls so mounted and driven that the flexure under operative strains are practically eliminated and whereby a uniform thickness of metal will be left at the bottom of the scored lines.

Another object of the invention resides in improved means and method of adjusting and gauging the setting of the scoring rolls relative to each other to predetermine the thickness of metal left at the bottom of each score line. H

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of flexible driving means for the scoring rolls, so they may be moved for necessary adjustments without disturbing the driving adjustment.

Another object of the invention resides in such an arrangement and disposition of the scoring rolls and their mountings that will permit of their removal in complete units for examination or retruing without disturbing the driving mechanism or other associated parts of the machine.

Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a scoring machine in which my invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is a detail section, taken substantially on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1.

The operating parts of the machine are supported upon a bed plate 21, positioned upon frame members 22, connected together by tie rods 23. A head 24 extends upwardly from the bed plate 21 and comprises a body part 25, a rearwardly extending web- 26 and forwardly extending webs 27 and 28 connected together by a horizontal Web 29, said last-mentioned parts forming an H-section in which a bearing block 31, carrying a feeding roller 32 is adapted to be adjustably mounted, as will hereinafter appear. table 33 is supported from the head 24 by means of extensions 34 extending downwardly and rearwardly from said table and connected with said head by means of tongue and slot connections 35 with projections 36 on the sides of the body 25 of said head, said parts being rigidly secured togetherv by means of cap screws 36. Upon said table 33 there is provided a fixed guide 37 with which the edge of blank to be scored is adapted to contact as sald blank travels through the machine. Said table 33 is provided with a slot 38 through which the edge of the feeding roller 32 may extend to engage the under side of a blank upon the table.

The roller 32 is mounted upon a short shaft 39, which is journaled in the bearing block 31 and flexibly connected with. a shaft 41 having bearings at 42 and 43 in the head 24 and being driven by means of a pulley 44 carried on the rear end thereof. The flexible connection between said shafts 39 and 41 is provided by interfitting the adjacent ends of said shafts, as shown clearly in Fig. 3. A tongue 45 on the inner end of the shaft 39 fits in a groove 46 formed in the forward end of the shaft 41, said tongue being somewhat smaller than the groove, in order to permit adjustment of the bearing block 31 without disturb-- ing the driving connection between said shafts 39 and 41.

Said bearing block 31 is slidably mounted in the upper part of the H-section formed by the webs 27 and 28 and the cross web 29. A wedge block 47 is positioned ust above said cross Web 29 and is adapted to cooperate with the inclined under side of the bearing block '31 to vertically adjust the position of the latter and thus the position of the feeding roller 32. Said wedge block 4? is adapted to be adjusted transversely of the web 29 by means of an adjusting screw 48 extending through the upper part of the web 28. The block 31 may also be adjusted horizontally, within the limits permitted by the shaft connection 45, 46, to vary the position of the roller 32 with respect to the fixed guide 37 on the table 33. A screw 49, extending up through the web 29 I and wedge block 47 and into the bearing block 31, serves to hold said parts in adjusted position.

A scoring roller 51 is carried on a short shaft 52 journaled in a bearing block 53 adjustably mounted in an overhanging portion 54 of the head 24. Said block 53 is slidably held inthe head 24 by a dovetail connection, indicated at 55, and is adapted to be secured in adjusted position by means of a locking key 56 and set screws 57. Said short shaft 52 is flexibly connected at 58 with a shaft 59 having bearings at 61 and 62 in the head 24 and adapted to be driven by means of a gear 63 mounted on the rear end thereof and meshing with a gear 64 on the shaft 41. The connection at 58 is similar to that between the shafts 39 and 41 and need not be further described.

The shafts 41 and 59 are adapted to beheld against longitudinal movement by means of retaining screws 65 extending through the web 26 and engaging in grooves 66 in said shafts disposed within recesses 67 in the head.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the bearing blocks 31 and 53 may be adjusted in such manner as to provide an exact predetermined relationship between the rollers 32 and 51, and this without disturbing the operative connection of the shafts 39 and 52 with the driving shafts 41 and 59, the flexible connections between said shafts not only pennitting both horizontal and vertical ad justment, but being such asto permit the roller units to be completely removed when desired. The shafts 41 and 59 may also be readily removed by taking out the retaining screws 65, and it will thus be seen that not only are all of the parts readily accessible, but are adapted to operate with unusual freedom and exactness.

The scoring design 68 on the roller 51, in the present instance, is adapted to cut the parallel score lines setting off a tearing strip in a container body, but it is, of course, manifest that any form of scoring design could be provided upon said roller if desired.

The scoring and feeding rollers are positively supported by bearings at the opposite sides thereof, which prevents any displacement through springing or misalignment of the shafts upon which said rollers are mounted, this having been found to be a most serious difliculty with scoring machines of earlier types. Furthermore, the flexible connection between the roller shafts and the driving shafts prevents strains due to possible inaccurate mounting, or wear of the latter from affecting the accuracy of position of the rollers.

I will now describe one of the advantages of the particular method I use for mounting and driving the scoring rolls.

By reference to Figure 1. it will be seen that the profile roll and the abutment roll are each removably mounted in the blocks 31 and 53 and are held in operative relation by the bearing caps 81 and 53. This arrangement permits me to permanently assemble these two rolls 32 and 51 on their respective shafts 39 and 52, after which each shaft and its roll will be handled as an integral unit.

Owing to continued operation of a scoring machine, the roll will become dulled and worn and more or less uneven from the constant pressure necessary to displace the metal in forming accurately placed and dimensioned score lines in thousands of body blanks. The lower, or abutment roll, will gradually assume an irregular surface from the constant pressure along the lines of scoring and when these conditions reach the point where imperfect scoring is being done, it becomes necessary to true up the working faces of these scoring rolls.

By removing the caps 53 and 31, each roll and shaft unit may be removed and each placed on centers, or in suitable bearings in a rinding machine and the working faces of the rolls trued to rotate exactly concentric with their shafts when replaced in the bearing blocks 31 and 53, or the blocks 53 and 31 may be removed from the machine without disturbing the rolls and shafts, the blocks set on the table of a surface grinder and the rolls rotated by suitable means while the grinding wheel will traverse the faces of the scoring rolls and thus true them up while running in their own bearings. The bearing blocks and rolls may now be replaced in their respective positions and by adjusting the abutment roll 82 relative to the scoring roll 51, by means of the wedge 4-7, an exact reestablisment of correct operative position will be effected and the machine is ready for another period of operation.

Lubrication is a very essential and necessary feature in the successful operation of machines of this type and especially so in respect to the shafts carrying the scoring rolls.

In the structure herein illustrated, I can make the retaining caps 31 and 53 hollow and fill the space with oily waste held against the rotatin shafts by a suitable flat spring, which arrangement will supply efficient lubrication for quite an extended period, or I can hollow out the cap 53 and the block 31 and place ring oiling devices therein, which will also provide eflicient lubrication for a long time.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

1 claim:

1. In a scoring machine the combination of opposed scoring and feed rolls, shafts for operating said rolls, a frame in which the innor ends of said shafts are mounted and formed with a space open at one side of the frame to receive said rolls and allow of the passage of sheet metal to be operated upon, and formed at said space with top and bottom opposed faces, and means supporting the outer ends of the roll shafts and secured against said top and bottom faces of the frame.

2. In a scoring machine the combintion of opposed scoring and feed rolls, supports for said rolls each consisting of a block extending from one end of the roll to the other end of the roll and having bearings for the roll at the ends thereof, and a frame to which said blocks may be removably applied having upper and lower bearing faces against which said blocks may be seatec, means for securing said blocks in place on said faces of the frame, and power shafts for the rolls mounted in the frame.

3. In a scoring machine the combination of opposed scoring and feed rolls, supports for said rolls each consisting of a block extending from one end of the roll to the other end of the roll and having bearings for the roll at the ends thereof, and a frame to which said blocks may be removably applied having upper and lower bearing faces against which said blocks may be seated, means for securing said blocks in place on said faces of the frame, and power shafts for the rolls mounted in the frame, said rolls and shafts having separable interlocking end elements by which'the rolls may be driven when said blocks are applied to the frame as described.

4. In a scoring machine the combination of opposed scoring and feed rolls, supports for said rolls each consisting of a block extending from one end of the roll to the other end of the roll and having bearings for the roll at the ends thereof, and a frame extending from over said rolls to a point under said rolls to which frame said blocks may be removably applied, said frame having upper and lower bearing faces against which said blocks may be abutted and means for securing said blocks in place on said faces of the frame, and power shafts for the rolls mounted in the frame, said rolls and shafts having separable interlocking end elements by which the rolls may be driven when said blocks are applied to the frame as described.

5. In a scoring machine the combination of opposed scoring and feed rolls, supports for said rolls each consisting of a block extending from one end of the roll to the other end of the roll and having bearings for the roll at the ends thereof, and a frame to which said blocks may be removably applied having upper and lower bearing faces against which said blocks may be seated, means for securing said blocks in place on said faces of the frame, power shafts for the rolls mounted in the frame, said rolls and shafts having separable interlocking end elements by which the rolls may be driven when said blocks are applied to the frame as described, and wedging means for adjusting one of said blocks in right lines towards and from the face against which it is seated.

6. In a machine for scoring sheet metal, the combination of a scoring roll and an opposed roll, means for actuating said rolls, a frame extending from a point over said rolls around one end only of the latter to a point under said rolls, and bearings for said rolls arranged close to each side of them and abutted respectively against said frame over the rolls and under the rolls.

7. In a machine for scoring sheet metal, the combination of a scoring roll and an opposed roll, means for actuating said rolls, a frame extending around one end of said rolls from a point over said rolls to a point under said rolls, bearings for said rolls arranged close to each side of them and abutted respectively against said frame over the rolls and under the rolls, and means whereby said rolls are removably interlocked with said actuating means.

8. Ascoring machine, comprising a scoring roll and an abutment roll in opposed relation, a frame extending from over said rolls and around the ends of the same to under said rolls and having an open space at one side of the rolls, bearing blocks for supporting said rolls in operative relation and abutted respectively upward and downward against said frame, said rolls being permaently mounted on their respective shafts and removable from said bearing blocks as roll and shaft units for purposes of retruing the operative faces thereof.

9. In a machine for scoring sheet metal the combination of a scoring roll and an opposed roll, means for actuating said rolls, a frame extending from a point over said rolls to a point under said rolls, and bearings for said rolls arranged close to each side of them and abutted respectively against said frame over the rolls and under the rolls, the scoring roll and its bearing being. removable for sharpening, and means whereby the scoring roll is removably interlocked with said actuating means.

10. In a machine for scoring sheet metal the combination of a'scoring roll and an opposed roll, means for actuating said rolls a frame extending from a point over sai rolls to a point under'said rolls and passing around the ends of said rolls, bearings for said rolls arranged close to each side of them and abutted respectively against said frame over the rolls and under the rolls, and wedging means for adjustably holding one of said bearings. I

11. A scoring machine, comprising a scoring roll and an abutment roll operating in opposed relation, and bearing blocks extending around said rolls from one side to the other for'supporting said rolls in operative relation, said rolls being permanently mounted on their respective shafts and removable from said bearing blocks as roll and shaft units for purposes of retruing the operative faces thereof, with driving means for said rolls that retain its operative position when said rolls and roll shafts are removed from said machine, and means whereby the said rolls are removably interlocked with said driving means.

12. A scoring machine, comprising a scoring roll and an abutment roll operating in opposed relation, said scoring roll being mounted for lateral adjustment and said abutment roll being mounted for vertical adjustment withdriving means for said rolls from which they are detachable that is not moved or altered when said rolls are adjusted in various operative positions, and means whereby the said rolls are removably interlocked with said driving means.

13. A scoring machine, comprising a frame, a bearing block slidably mounted in said frame, a wedge member for adjusting.

the position of said block, means for holding the block in adjusted position, a feeding roller rotatably mounted in said bearing block between its bearings, and a scoring roller rotatably mounted in the frame and adapted to cooperate with said feeding roller to perform a scoring operation upon sheet metal blanks or the like passed between said rollers.

14. A scoring machine, comprising a frame, a bearing block slidably mounted in said frame, a wedge member for adjusting the position of said block, means for bold ing the block in adjusted position, a feeding roller rotatably mounted in said bearing block between its bearings, a scoring roller rotatably mounted in the frame and adapted to cooperate with said feeding roller to perform a scoring operation upon sheet metal blanks or the like passed between said rollers, and an adjustable bearing block in which said scoring roller is rotatably mounted.

15. A scoring machine having in combination a main frame formed with opposing faces, a scoring roll and an opposed roll, shafts carrying said rolls, a block having bearings for the shaft of said opposed roll and attached to one of said faces, and a block having bearings for the shaft of the scoring roll and attached to the other of said faces and removable endwise of the roll with its shaft and roll as a unit for the dressing of the roll.

16. A scoring machine having in combination a main frame provided with shaft bearings, parallel power shafts in said bearings,

gearlng connecting said power shafts, scor- 17. A scoring machine, comprising a scor- 7 ing roll and a cooperating roll, driving means for said rolls, means for adjusting one of said rolls laterally, and means comprising a notch and a projection whereby the scoring roll is removably interlocked with its driving means.

18. A. scoring machine, comprising, a frame, scoring and opposing rolls, a power driven shaft mounted in the frame for driving the scoring and opposing rolls, means for connecting separate scoring and opposing roll shafts t0 the power driven shaft, a removable slide in which is mounted the scoring roll, an opposing roll shaft, a seeing roll shaft and bearings for the scoring roll shaft, and means for adjusting the distance between the scoring roll and opposing roll.

JOHN F. PETERS. 

